August 30, 2007

Morning Wrap

Virginia Tech Report: The panel charged with investigating the Virginia Tech massacre released its report on the shootings yesterday, which said that campus officials and police could have saved lives if their response had been to cancel class and alert the student body after the first killings. The report does state, however, that a lockdown of the campus would probably have been ineffective.

Hurricane Katrina: President Bush traveled to New Orleans for the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, giving speeches and dining with “notables” along the way. But the president has been criticized for inadequate recovery efforts despite the allocation of billions of dollars and nearly as many promises. Two years later, a third of the city’s residents still haven’t returned and storm damage is still readily apparent.

Surprise, Surprise: The Post reports this morning that a draft of a Government Accountability Office report finds that Iraq has failed to meet the vast majority of the 18 political and military benchmarks set by Congress. And, of course, the draft contradicts the White House’s rosier sentiments.

Medical Loans: Ahh, the pleasant state of America’s health care system. According to this piece in the NYT, credit companies and insurance providers are offering no-interest financing to consumers who want procedures that aren’t covered by health insurance. Some think, however, that the trend will spread into basic medical services as rising costs force more people to pay for health care on their own.Picture Perfect: Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) is taking his portrait as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee very seriously, according to the Post. In a letter to Federal Election Commission, his campaign attorney estimates that the likeness will cost around $64,500. But no worries, Rangel isn’t bringing Diego Velazquez back from the dead or anything. The extra cost comes not only from the size of the painting, but also from “important details and a custom frame.”